[open!]

[falsesmile]

Who: Ves (falsesmile) and general!
When: Day 6, afternoon
Where: The Ruined Hull
What: General exploration post!

[ The Ruined Hull has been unlocked! The go-team has been in the area for a while, the stay-team members who are so inclined have probably meandered over here somehow by now -- time to go exploring, but keep an eye on those suit power levels ♥ ]

Comments

[resnipstance]

Uh...

[She pulls one out of the backpack, looking skeptical.]

This thing? I don't think... I mean... maybe? I guess it couldn't hurt to try.

[ceruleo]

We have nothing to lose. Just don't forget to shield your eyes.

[resnipstance]

... All right. Here goes.

[Ahsoka kneels down, until she finds a panel she can lift away. When she seems to find what she's looking for in the ship's innards, she gives a little shrug and holds the pearl out to a loose wire.]

I really hope this doesn't electrocute me...

[Ahsoka, that's not safe. Predictably, there's a flash, and then-- BOOM.]

[ceruleo]

[ When the light and noise clear, Lance squints, seeing panels light up and blink. ]

Hey! I think that did something!

[ Unfortunately, not for long. As soon as Lance goes to place his hand on one of the lit terminals, the whole room turns red in warning. ]

Uh...guess that's not it, either...

[resnipstance]

Oh boy. That's not good.

Quick-- can you see anything to write with? Or on? I want to copy that star chart down! If this whole thing is going to shut down, I want that info!

[ceruleo]

Um...

[ Despite the rising panic, without power most of the alarm systems can't seem to maintain themselves; the lights have gone red, but there's no sirens, and the doors don't shut and lock them in. In fact, after several moments of searching fruitlessly for a writing implement, the red lights flicker and go out. ]

[resnipstance]

... Well, that was anti-climatic.

[ceruleo]

Agreed.

[ It's apparent that none of the terminals are coming back online any time soon though, and on the plus side, both of them are back to full power. ]

Wanna go see if there's a working terminal somewhere deeper inside the ship? I have an extra pearl, if we need it.

[resnipstance]

Hmm. I think we should push on, yes. We don't know enough about this place. We should press every advantage we can get.

[ceruleo]

[ Nodding, he casts a look about the place, just to be sure they aren't overlooking anything or leaving something behind--then heads for the door. It's just a bit brighter in the hallway because there are more lights on, and Lance is pretty relieved for it. ]

All right--down this way, I think.

[resnipstance]

[ With some humour: ] You're the boss.

[ She walks a while in silence. Then: ]

... How old do you think this all is?

[ceruleo]

[ He purses his lips, considering. ]

Old enough to get swallowed by the sand, and old enough for, uh, whoever was in here...to not have left any remains...

[ Shep talked about finding some bones inside a suit. Great. ]

But it's still got some juice left, so. I don't know. A couple years, at least.

[resnipstance]

... I can't help but feel like it's related to the people who put us here. What if this was their first attempt?

[ceruleo]

Like some kinda...generation-ship? Like people lived in here?

[resnipstance]

I don't know. Maybe? It's just a theory. Why else would anyone come to this place?

[ceruleo]

It just seems like a pretty crappy place to put a colony. [ A beat. ] Maybe they were gonna terraform it?

[resnipstance]

Oh... I don't know if anyone was intending to live here permanently... I just meant-- this "Atlas" thing. You know? It seems pretty important to someone.

[ceruleo]

I dunno about that. I mean, have you noticed there aren't any of those marks inside the ship? I mean, not that we've seen so far.

[ Meaning, maybe the people who once populated this ship and the people who dropped them on the planet don't have a connection after all. ]

[resnipstance]

... Hmm. True. A competitor, then?

[ceruleo]

You think this [ he motions to the Atlas mark ] is some kinda corporate thing?

[resnipstance]

Not necessarily. Could be. But it's clearly important enough to send all of us after it. It would make sense if we weren't the only group looking.

[ceruleo]

[ Dread settles in his stomach; she's implying they aren't alone out here.

Before he has a chance to respond, the hallway ends in what was once an elevator shaft; the door slides open when Lance prods it, but the shaft is empty. Lance peers down into the gloom. ]

You gonna let me go first again?

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka peers down.]

Hmmmm. I think this one's a little more dangerous. Let me check it out first.

[She jumps across the elevator shaft to the cable and slides down carefully until she's level with the doors to the next floor down. Then she swings on the cable like a pendulum until she gets enough momentum to swing into the corridor. After a few moments, her head reappears in the elevator shaft below.]

Coast is clear!

[ceruleo]

[ He watches her go, duly impressed. He can't help the little knot in his stomach when she vanishes from view, leaving him alone in the dark, but when he hears her filtered 'coast is clear!' vibrating up the elevator shaft, he breathes out.

Now for the hard part. ]

This is gonna suck.

[ Taking a running leap, Lance manages to grab onto the cable, letting himself slowly wiggle down. Perhaps thankfully, he carries most of his strength in his back and shoulders, so his arms aren't that sore by the time he makes it to her level. Kinking the cord with his feet, he swings back and forth, mimicking her pendulum swing onto solid ground.

Naturally, his landing isn't quite as graceful--his feet touch down first, but he overshoots a bit and winds up taking a tumble. He corrects and rolls himself back up. ]

Man, climbing was the worst part of boot camp. [ A beat. ] I take that back: boot camp was the worst part of boot camp.

[resnipstance]

Boot camp?

... Wait. You're in the military?

[She tries not to look skeptical... and fails.]